English Reference

Word

thread

US/ˈθɹɛd/

UK/θɹˈɛd/

Definitions

01sewing string

B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun

n. a long, thin strand of cotton or silk used for sewing clothes.

n. a fine cord of twisted textile fibres used in needlework and garment construction.

“She chose a blue thread that perfectly matched the colour of her new dress.”

“The tailor selected a high-tensile silk thread to ensure the seams of the heavy coat would not burst under pressure.”

02internet messages

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Computing

n. a series of connected messages or comments on a website or social media app.

n. a chronological sequence of online posts or messages related to a single original topic.

“I found a very helpful thread on the forum about how to fix my laptop.”

“The discussion thread grew to over three hundred comments as users debated the merits of the new software update.”

03logical connection

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun

n. the idea or story that connects different parts of a book or speech.

n. a consistent theme or logical progression that connects the successive points of a narrative or argument.

“It was hard to follow the thread of his story because he kept changing the subject.”

“The detective struggled to find a common thread between the three seemingly unrelated crimes committed across the city.”

Synonyms

04computing process

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Computing Technical

n. a small part of a computer program that can run at the same time as other parts.

n. the smallest unit of programmed instructions that can be managed independently by a scheduler.

“The application uses a separate thread to download files so the screen doesn't freeze.”

“By implementing multi-threading, the developers allowed the engine to process physics calculations and rendering logic simultaneously.”

05screw groove

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Engineering Technical

n. the raised spiral line around a screw or bolt.

n. a helical ridge on a cylindrical fastener or within a hole, designed to convert rotation into linear motion.

“The screw wouldn't go in because the thread was damaged.”

“The engineer specified a fine thread for the adjustment bolt to allow for more precise control over the tension.”

Synonyms

06to prepare a needle

B1 · Intermediate

v. to put a piece of thread through the small hole in a needle.

v. to pass a length of filament through the eye of a needle or the guides of a sewing machine.

“He had to squint in the dim light to thread the needle.”

“Before she could begin the embroidery, she had to thread the machine with a delicate metallic yarn that frequently snapped.”

07to move through

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to move carefully through a crowded or narrow place.

v. to make one's way through a series of obstacles or a crowded space with precision.

“The waiter had to thread his way through the crowded restaurant with a heavy tray.”

“The motorcyclist expertly threaded through the stationary traffic, reaching the front of the queue just as the lights turned green.”

08hair removal

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to remove unwanted hair using a piece of twisted string.

v. to remove facial hair by using a doubled and twisted thread to pluck multiple hairs simultaneously.

“She goes to the salon every three weeks to have her eyebrows threaded.”

“Threading is often preferred over waxing for sensitive skin because it does not involve the use of harsh chemicals or heat.”

Synonyms

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “thread” in context.

Verb

01. lose the thread

“The speaker was interrupted so many times that he eventually lost the thread of his argument.”

verb + noun

02. pick up the thread

“After the break, the professor picked up the thread of the lecture right where she had left off.”

verb + noun

03. thread your way through the crowd

“We managed to thread our way through the dense crowd to reach the front of the stage.”

verb + possessive + noun + prep + noun

Adjective

04. common thread

“A common thread of resilience runs through all the stories in this collection.”

adj + noun

05. tenuous thread

“Their connection was a tenuous thread that threatened to snap at any moment.”

adj + noun

Noun

06. thread of conversation

“It was difficult to follow the thread of conversation in such a noisy and chaotic room.”

noun + of + noun

Preposition

07. hang by a thread

“The peace negotiations are currently hanging by a thread after the latest border skirmish.”

prep + noun

Real-World Examples

“You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments.”
Toronto Sun 14 Aug 2026
“Another person posted on a Reddit thread that they would be outside Camden Town station with a fistful of glasses, at £20 a pair, until they had sold out.”
The Guardian 12 Aug 2026
“An HIV thread runs through the story, and if "you're negotiating safe sex, you don't have a say in a relationship with those kinds of dynamics", she says.”
BBC News 14 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Middle English thred, þred, threed, from Old English þrǣd, from Proto-Germanic þrēduz, from Proto-Indo-European treh₁-tu-s, from *terh₁- (“rub, twist”). Cognates Cognate with Yola dreade (“thread”), Saterland Frisian Träid (“thread, wire”), Cimbrian draat (“string, thread”), Dutch draad (“thread, wire”), German Draht (“thread, wire”), Luxembourgish Drot (“wire”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Swedish tråd (“thread, wire”), Faroese tráður (“thread”), Icelandic þráður (“thread”). Non-Germanic cognates include Albanian dredh (“twist, turn”). More at throw.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

NOUN

thread(C1)

ADJECTIVE

Related words

Idioms

Domains

ComputingEngineeringInternet

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
Frequency
Common
Level
C1 · AdvancedOxford
Updated

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